Max

The Department of Revenue released their report for direct spending. Productions spent $241,372,169 in North Carolina on goods, supplies, wages and employee benefits in 2014, receiving $60,343,039 (25%) in rebates.

Just a quick clarification from the NC Film Office: the numbers released by the NCDOR reflect what productions SUBMITTED on their required forms–which they can file at any time the production is ready– and does not necessarily mean that is what was spent or jobs created that specific year. For example, the NCDOR report does not have the full season of “Secrets and Lies” and its “Sleepy Hollow” numbers are for a previous year (not 2014’s S2); thus the total number is not ALL of what was spent in 2014. There are also productions listed that filmed prior to 2014, like “Well Wishes” and “Los Jets.”

Now, that being said, taking the top spot was who we expected. Sleepy Hollow spent a hefty $43,648,743. The Fox production also took the top spot when it comes to hires. Sleepy Hollow employed 1593 folks (Season One).

Other productions of note include The Longest Ride which spent $23,345,745 and hired close to 600 people. Another big job giver was the family film Maxwhich hits theaters in July. They spent $18,630,757 and employed 1082 people.

Further breaking down the report, productions spent $136 million in New Hanover County and just over $95 million in Mecklenberg County.

In total, $241,372,169 was spent in North Carolina by film and TV productions last year with 8381 jobs created. Check out the links below to see what’s film has spent in North Carolina over the last 9 years.

The 2 hour premiere of the Wilmywood shot Secrets and Lies on ABC (WWAY) was on March 1st. Although critics speculate a second season pick-up, it is unlikely they will return to NC due to the lack of film incentives.

“The Trail; The Father” kicked off with Ben out for his morning jog when he stumble upon the corpse of a young boy, Ton Murphy. Ben’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a murder suspect. However, Tom’s mother suspects her estranged husband might be the killer.

THE SQUEEZE – available via Groupon and in limited theaters nationwide April 17, 2015.

The Squeeze which was shot right here in Wilmywood in the fall of 2013. The feature stars Christopher McDonald, Jeremy Sumpter, Jillian Murray and Michael Nouri, along with some of our local actors including Michael Rosander, David Andrews, and Logan Siu to name a few. The Squeeze is a true story about a young man from a small southern town who gets caught in between two notorious gamblers, until the stakes become a matter of life or death. The film has been submitted to the Toronto Film Festival in September.

ASHBY- Premiered at Tribecca Film Fest April 19, 2015. TBA when it hits US theaters.

” Ashby is able to maintain a consistently humorous and light tone. Ed and Ashby’s worldview is more than a bit skewed, but so is the film’s, and it works well enough to keep the film entertaining and bouncy.” – IndieWire

An invisible and mysterious force field descends upon a small fictional town in the United States, trapping residents inside, cut off from the rest of civilization. The trapped townsfolk must discover the secrets and purpose of the “dome” and its origins, while coming to learn more than they ever knew about each other.

Max, the war dog movie which was shot in Charlotte and the surrounding areas last year, has given us the gift of a trailer! The family adventure film was directed by Boaz Yakin. This story was inspired by true events.

Paper Towns – in theaters July 24, 2015.

ABOUT PAPER TOWNS: Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life-dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge-he follows. After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues-and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew. ~GoodReads

MASTERMINDS – in theaters August 14, 2015.

A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.

16 year old Max McGrath is discovering that he’s got a strange electric energy that emanates from him when he’s upset or excited, and it’s starting to grow beyond his control. With his scientist father dead and his mom Molly unwilling to talk about what really happened in the accident that killed him, Max is resigned to trying to fit in to yet another new school–where he finds himself attracted to the quirky, independent-minded Sydney and develops a friendship with an old colleague of his dad’s, Miles Edwards. But the most startling thing that happens to Max is the arrival of a small, crab-like alien named Steel, whose memory may be faulty but who knows one thing for certain: he’s there to protect Max, and he’s been sent by Max’s father.

MAX, the war dog movie which was shot in Charlotte and the surrounding areas last year, has given us the gift of a trailer! The family adventure film was directed by Boaz Yakin. This story was inspired by true events. I am VERY pumped about this flick which comes out June 26th! Check out the trailer!

ABOUT MAX:

A Belgian Shepard Malinois military working dog returns from active service in Afghanistan traumatized by his handler’s death. Erratic and dangerous, Max is adopted by the bereaved family and bonds with the marine’s troubled 14-year old brother (Josh Wiggins). Together they unravel the secret behind his brother’s death and pull a family together again.

We represent over 10,000 registered voters who are either film workers, or are their families and friends. The decisions you make in the days ahead will determine if we can continue to work, pay taxes and raise families here.

We will all be voting in the November election, and you can be absolutely certain that we will be motivated to get others to do so as well. We love our communities, we love working here, and we do not want to see our livelihood pushed out of state. You have the power to help keep good, clean jobs here.

The fact is, North Carolina has built a clean, multi-billion dollar industry for over 30 years that employs thousands in life-long careers, and generates needed revenue for thousands of small businesses.

Film tourism brings unprecedented numbers of visitors and their vacation dollars here, making another dramatic and positive impact on our economy.

Georgia and South Carolina are most eager for you to do the wrong thing for North Carolina, and send our jobs and revenue their way. Just the rumor of losing our incentives has already sent several television series, their production dollars and jobs we need to other states.

We are asking you to do the right thing for our state, and extend the existing incentive as it is. We have a good thing going for all of North Carolina. Please, don’t destroy it. And you can count on the fact that we will remember, in large and active numbers, what you do to support the film incentive, or to destroy it.

Please see short video below from the NC Film Crew Members (Runtime 1:14).

We are the film crew of Max in Charlotte, NC. We are all residents of North Carolina, NC tax payers, and North Carolina voters. Speaker Thom Tillis, please save our jobs in North Carolina by supporting the NC Film Incentives. Let’s keep the film incentive here in North Carolina.

This video was shot earlier in the week before the vote yesterday. Thank you to all the crew and the film supporters for making those calls and writing those emails. Your voice was heard. The film incentives are in the budget. We still have a long way to go with upcoming negotiations to determine the final language of the film incentives. But today, let’s recognize you, who wants to keep your job, your home and your family in North Carolina!

My article for Entertainment Weekly’s “The Community” section is out and like I said on Facebook recently, it is my dream article. It’s all about Wilmington, so begging and pleading with you to share it! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be able to bring awareness to the Wilmington film scene and share it with the world! SHARE NOW: http://bit.ly/RsiY2N I am totally counting on you! Thank you in advance my fabulous peeps! Send me a message and let me know you have shared it!

Mattel’s Max Steel is two weeks away from going into production and they are prepping like mad. My sources tell me that Max McGrath himself, Ben Winchell could be arriving as soon as this weekend in Wilmywood! His counterpart Ana Villafane who plays Sydney Gardner should be arriving soon after.

A surprising turn of events came out yesterday regarding FOX’s Sleepy Hollow. It looks as though the massive production will be going in a different direction when it comes to background talent. A new extras casting director was named for season two. Ashli Bogart will be taking on the monster that is Sleepy Hollow. READ MORE.

And speaking of flying in, Wilmywood welcomes writer/director Charlie Kaufman into town. He’s gearing up for FX’sHow and Why which begins production at the end of the month. And guess who is making a return! Just as Revolution’s Graham Rogers came back for Red Zone, we welcome another Revolution alum back for our FX pilot. Tim Guinee, who played Danny’s father on Rev, is returning for the comedy pilot. As I was checking in with the handsome devil as I do from time to time, I got the exciting news confirmed yesterday. “I’m really excited to come back to Wilmington,” Tim said. “It’s like coming home.” Although Tim has been all over the place filming TV shows and features, he’s been in NC quite a lot for our Charlotte show, Homeland. Welcome back, Tim! We love you!

And since it is Throwback Thursday, he’s a hilarious memory from 2012! NBC’s Revolution star David Lyons donated money to inflict pain on his cast members during our radiothon – Sorry Tim Guinee, but it’s flu shot time!

Under the Dome is headed back to the Brooklyn Arts District again so get ready for some road closures and some snap, crackle, booms and pops. Yes, they get to play with loud toys again. They will be off tomorrow for Good Friday and will resume shooting Monday in Wilmington.

Heading over to Charlotte for a spell, the feature film Max which starts production in a few weeks has announced more cast members for their “war dog” flick. Joining Josh Wiggins are Thomas Haden Church and Jay Hernandez.

And congrats to Banshee‘s Geno Segers and Afton Williamson. They were just upgraded to series regulars! Woop Woop! Congrats!

Make sure to check out the CW’s Primetime News at 10pm tonight as I will bring you all the Wilmywood news for the week via boob tube with “What’s Up In Wilmywood.”

LOOKING FOR THOSE FILM=JOBS STICKERS? Sunrise Broadcasting has a few. Feel free to stop by and grab you one while they last at 25 N. Kerr Ave. (near the intersection of Market and Kerr across from the new Walgreens). Offices are open 8:30am-5:30pm M-F.

WE GOT MORE! Last time, they flew out of here in 24 hours! Thanks to Jed and the gang over at Image Monster, you can now pick up these fab stickers at the Sunrise Broadcasting too!

That just about does it for me; I will have more Wilmywood updates for you tomorrow morning (unless something breaks) and every weekday morning we do “What’s Up in Wilmywood” at 7:30am & 8:30am LIVE on Sunny 104.5. And on Thursdays during Cape Fear CW‘s Primetime News at 10! Got Scoop? Email me: sheila_brothers@yahoo.com. Or message me on Wilmywood’s FB or on Twitter. You can also just post your comments below! Until then, that’s a wrap!!

Oh boy! Look out today!!! April’s Fools and all that! However, no jokes here today!

Seriously this set just gets cooler and cooler! The MAX STEEL construction crew is hard at work! I ran into a few of them a couple of weeks ago, and these are our local crew doing this amazing construct! Look at what they are up to now!

Regardless of being in a bubble, the folks of Chester’s Mill will be making some noise again. Last season, they got the chance to play with prop guns at Halyburton Park. This time in they will be right across the river. UNDER THE DOME will be filming on Point Harbor Road at the salvage yard. So don’t panic when you hear some shots being fired in the downtown area. Blanks will be be fired throughout the day until about 7pm.

The SLEEPY HOLLOW folks are back in mad writing mode! And of course they love to share pics from the writer’s room.

Yesterday we found out the world famous photographer Seth Casteel is making a splash in Wilmywood as he is going on tour for his next round of of amazing underwater photography and your dog could be the star! He will be working with a limited number of water-loving dogs to create original Underwater Dogs photographs in Wilmington, NC. READ MORE NOW

Another film festival weekend in Wilmywood! This time the Jewish Film Festival takes the stage from Thursday the 3rd through Sunday the 6th. The three day festival opens on Thursday night with a 7:30pm show, Saturday’s show starts at 8:00pm and Sunday will be double feature day which begins at 3:30pm. Four films by Israeli, French and Czech filmmakers will be shown at Thailian Hall on the main stage.

After Thursday’s and Saturday’s showings there will be a dessert reception catered by Angie’s Catering. Sunday’s festivities will include a full reception between shows. Sunday shows begin at 3:30pm. Wilmywood film goers are encouraged to arrive as early on Sunday to enjoy the food and fun.

The event will be one full of crowd pleasing and heartfelt films by very talented artists.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling the Thalian Hall Box Office at (910) 632-2285. For the line-up of titles check out the Facebook Event Page HERE.

TICKET GIVEAWAY! We are giving away more tickets tomorrow morning on The Sunny Morning Show on Sunny 104.5 during ‘What’s up in Wilmywood’ at 7:30 and 8:30.

LOOKING FOR THOSE FILM=JOBS STICKERS? Sunrise Broadcasting has a few. Feel free to stop by and grab you one while they last at 25 N. Kerr Ave. (near the intersection of Market and Kerr across from the new Walgreens). Offices are open from 8:30am-5:30pm M-F. Please one sticker per person please. They will run out fast! Thanks!

That just about does it for me; I will have more Wilmywood updates for you tomorrow morning (unless something breaks) and every weekday morning we do “What’s Up in Wilmywood” at 7:30am & 8:30am LIVE on Sunny 104.5. And on Thursdays during Cape Fear CW‘s Primetime News at 10! Got Scoop? Email me: sheila_brothers@yahoo.com. Or message me on Wilmywood’s FB or on Twitter. You can also just post your comments below! Until then, that’s a wrap!!